Fate of Scots Bay wharf still foggy

Jerry Huntley says the Scots Bay wharf, which was heavily damaged by post-tropical storm Arthur, will cost about $2 million to rebuild. (GLEN PARKER)

SCOTS BAY — Residents here will meet with government officials on Wednesday to debate the future of their damaged wharf.

It will be the third time in two weeks that community members will sit down with federal fisheries staff to go over options for structure. Post-tropical storm Arthur’s gale force winds ripped out the middle of the wharf on July 5, flattening about 15 metres of the berth. There’s now a large gap between the two end sections.

“As a community, we’re not 100 per cent sure what we want to do,” Scots Bay spokesman Jerry Huntley said Saturday. “It seems like we have two choices — do nothing or (have) the community…take over. (Ottawa wants) to get things going but, as a community, we feel like we’re being pushed. We’d like time to explore our options.”

Huntley estimated it would cost about $2 million to completely rebuild. Some repair work began last year, but has not yet been completed.

Many local residents feel the structure has been unsafe for the past 10 to 15 years.

“The plan was to put armour stone on the Bay of Fundy side to protect the wharf,” Huntley said. “I guess that’s on hold now.”

At the time Arthur struck, there was only one fishing boat using the wharf. But over the years, a number of personal watercraft owners have used the port and, at times, it’s provided safe harbour to a half-dozen commercial fishing boats. A small, independent fishery has been sustained in the area with catches of lobster, flounder, halibut, herring and dogfish. Sturgeon feed here in summer.

Huntley pointed out that there has been a wharf in the community since the 1930s. It was rebuilt in 1983.

“We have a couple other options, either from a new non-profit society or (create) a subcommittee (within) our wilderness society, which was formed to help promote tourism in the community.”

But it’s uncertain whether this community of about 150 souls could raise enough funding to maintain the wharf. Even in the summer months, the population swells by only about 50 people.

“As we understand it now, once we form the society, the government will do the work. Otherwise, they’ll tear it out and that will be it for the wharf,” Huntley said. “This used to be, and still could be, a pretty big part of this community.”

Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison said there is significant responsibility for the community if they choose to take it over.

He said the wharf acts as a breakwater for the road to Cape Split, one of the province’s busier hiking trails. There is a tourism component for sightseers and kayakers, Brison said in an interview Friday.

It is also a key launch site for search and rescue boats in this popular part of the Minas Basin coastline.

“It’s certainly a challenge with cutbacks throughout the (federal fisheries) department,” Brison said. “If there’s an opportunity to divest the responsibility of the wharf, the federal government appears to favour this route.

“It’s been done before in other locations.”

The veteran Liberal MP said he hopes there’s support for saving the wharf and that he will do what he can to help.